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Rep. Paul Seaton, R-Homer, (center) chairs the House Finance Committee shortly before the body passed it’s version of the state budget March 10, 2017, to the House of Representatives. (Photo by Skip Gray/360 North)

The legislature has gone past the 90-day mark as they try to find a solution to the state’s fiscal crisis. Lawmakers from both chambers seem to agree on using permanent fund earnings but they’re having a harder time finding common ground on budget cuts and new taxes.

(Wikicommons photo by Jericho) Alaska is still in recession- and the state’s economic engine is significantly smaller than it was three years ago. But job losses have slowed. So is there an end in sight for the first state recession in three decades? And what will it take to stage a real recovery? LISTEN HERE HOST: Anne Hillman GUESTS: Mouhcine ...…

An Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. sign in the office in Juneau, March 14, 2016. (Photo by Skip Gray/360 North) Politicians on both sides say we need to tap into the Permanent Fund in order to close the state’s multi-billion dollar budget gap. But how would that draw on the $66 billion dollar fund be structured? And how might it affect the longevit ...…

Two people and a dog curl up near a boiler room on Shattuck Way on Jan. 20, 2017 in downtown Juneau, Alaska. (Photo by Rashah McChesney/Alaska’s Energy Desk) Thousands of Alaskans have been homeless, but the number would be much higher if organizations and individuals didn’t work to prevent it. On the next Talk of Alaska, we’re discussing solut ...…

(Amazon.com screenshot) It’s an untold story almost 250 years old – what really happened during Captain Cook’s contacts with indigenous people during his explorations in Alaska and the rest of the Pacific. Two unpublished journals by Cook crew members have been found in an Australian store-room. We’ll learn more of the untold story of Captain C ...…

More than a dozen Alaskans are representing the U.S. in the winter Olympics that recently kicked off in South Korea. They’re competing in traditional sports like ice skating and nordic skiing. And newer events, like snowboard cross- where snowboarders race down a mountain course that includes jumps. LISTEN HERE HOST: Annie Feidt GUESTS: Nina Ke ...…

Alaskans know about the 7.9 earthquake that shook the state Jan. 23, but just how did the scientists figure out the exact location of the quake — as they do for tremors around the world. What is the process for sharing that information? And, should major disaster strike, how could the federal government step in to help Alaskans recover? LISTEN ...…

About 100 cities and boroughs in Alaska levy a sales tax. Many also levy taxes on hotel accommodations, alcohol, tobacco, commercial fish harvests, car rentals and more. Combined, the taxes raised over $350 million for cities and boroughs in 2016. Join us as we discuss local taxes — and the local debates about raising them. LISTEN HERE HOST: La ...…

“give” from Flickr user: Tim Green Alaska has a lot of nonprofit organizations that do a lot of good work. Community groups, social service organizations, advocacy groups. Alaskans are supportive and contribute a lot of money, but many nonprofits are struggling financially. The needs are there, but what’s the future for Alaska’s nonprofits? LIS ...…

“Tax” from Flickr user: 401kcalculator.org The nearly 500-page federal tax bill is now law, but what does it mean to you? Will it help or hurt your checkbook? When will you see a difference in your paycheck? How much will it change your tax return next year? And what don’t you know about the new tax laws? Join us as we talk taxes on the next Ta ...…

“Chainlink Prison Fence” from Flickr user: Jobs For Felons Hub People waiting for trial often sit in jail for days or weeks just because they can’t make bail. Starting this month, that system is changing. The state is launching a new effort to reduce the amount of time people spend locked up before they’ve gone to trial. It’s part of SB91, Alas ...…

Alaska State Capitol (Photo by Skip Gray/360 North) The Alaska Legislature goes back to work in two weeks. The agenda will be full and likely include the use of Permanent Fund earnings to help pay for public services for the first time in the fund’s history. Plus, it’s an election year for governor and most of the Legislature. Listen Here HOST: ...…

Vintage holiday decor. (Photo courtesy of The Light Brigade) Alaskans are connected in so many different ways, and nothing shows that better than the special two-hour Holiday Greetings Edition of “Talk of Alaska,” from the member stations of APRN. Good wishes, greetings and holiday cheer fly back and forth from one end of the state to the other ...…

Sally Robertson was a guest on Talk of Alaska, Dec. 12, 2017. Aging in Alaska is both challenging and wonderful. The state’s rapidly growing population of people who are 65 and older are strengthening their communities by contributing time and wisdom, and building the economy. On the next Talk of Alaska we’ll hear from elders about what it’s li ...…

An Armstrong rig in the Pikka Unit on the North Slope. (Photo courtesy Armstrong Oil and Gas) Walker administration officials say the future is bright for resource development with new oil discoveries on the North Slope, potential mining opportunities and the prospect of opening ANWR. They also say the long awaited gas line deal is coming toget ...…

During the Vietnam war, the use of a defoliate known as agent orange was supposed to affect vegetation not soldiers, but it made them sick and serious health conditions resulted in a long fight for recognition and compensation. Gulf War vets also had to fight the military over health problems linked to military toxins. What’s changed since thes ...…

Poster designed by Jontue Hollingsworth with content by Youth Vote. Bullying is prevalent in Alaska — about a quarter of teens say they’ve experienced it at school. Others have been bullied online. But why should we be concerned? How does bullying affect young people? This program is part of Alaska Public Media’s Solutions Desk. This month were ...…

(Graphic courtesy of STAR) For too long Alaska has been near or at the top in the nation for violence against women and sexual assault. Recent harassment and rape allegations against powerful people in Hollywood and in media have elevated the problem. But will that attention help change behavior? Listen Here HOST: Lori Townsend GUESTS: Suzi Pea ...…

Map of northern Alaska showing location of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, ANWR-en:1002 area, and the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A). (Map courtesy USGS) Alaska’s economy has been driven by resource extraction from the land and water for decades. What will and should that look like in the future? What’s the outlook for oil, mining, ...…

The Juneau Housing First building. Taken Sept. 19, 2017, right before the facility opened. (Photo by David Purdy/KTOO) Alaska has a housing shortage, and it’s hard for many of the state’s most vulnerable residents to find secure, stable places to live. Different organizations around Alaska are coming together to try to fill the gap, but it’s go ...…

For many Americans, the PBS documentary on the Vietnam war brings up memories of past divisions between those who supported sending U.S. military and those who did not. It was an emotional topic for families and as the number of war casualties grew, so did the protests across the country. Listen Here HOST: Lori Townsend GUESTS: Michael Carey – ...…

(Graphic courtesy of STAR) It’s not a number to celebrate, but the consistently high rates of domestic violence and sexual assault in Alaska need discussion and attention. Why does Alaska stay at or near the top in the nation for these terrible statistics? What’s being done to combat family violence, and how can everyone help address it? Listen ...…

(Creative Commons graphic) There’s been a lot of bad news in recent weeks. Devastating hurricanes, tension with North Korea and a horrific mass shooting in Las Vegas. We face risks each day. How should we manage the stress that accompanies them without becoming overwhelmed and how should we talk to children about it all? Listen Here HOST: Lori ...…

Goose Creek Prison. (Photo by Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage) In 2016, the state legislature passed Senate Bill 91 — an omnibus criminal justice reform bill. Now, just over a year later, some are blaming the law for increases in crime and calling for its repeal. Join us for Talk of Alaska as we explore what SB 91 actually does, and what factor ...…

(Photo by Sarah Yu/KTOO) It’s become too common. Reports of a data breach that leaves thousands or millions of consumers vulnerable to identity theft, fraud or other types of scams. But what can you do to keep your personal information safe when online commerce is every day business? Listen Here HOST: Lori Townsend GUESTS: Davyn Williams – cons ...…

Goose Creek Prison. Photo by Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage. Almost everyone who goes to prison will eventually be released, but without the proper support network, many will likely re-offend. Organizations, individuals, and the Department of Corrections are trying to change that. Listen Here HOST: Anne Hillman GUESTS: Karen Cann – Deputy Comm ...…

60,000 Americans died in the Vietnam war. Thousands more died in the following years. A new documentary by filmmaker Ken Burns examines the era. In the first of a series of discussions on the war, we’ll hear from Alaska Vietnam veterans about how they’re doing today, decades after their service and what we’ve learned as a nation. Listen Here HO ...…

Salmon caught during the June 24, 2017 gillnet opening on the Kuskokwim. (Teresa Cotsirilos / KYUK Public Media) Some runs were outstanding, some were terrible. On the next Talk of Alaska, we’re discussing the state’s iconic species– salmon. Whether you fish for sport, subsistence or make your living as a commercial fisherman or woman, the summ ...…

John McPhee and Willie Hensley in a newspaper clipping from 1980 when the two were awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Alaska. (Photo: Willie Hensley) Fake news. Lame stream media. Journalism these days is getting a really bad rap. In an era when you can find a constant stream of information on the internet 24 hours a day, how im ...…

Wikimedia commons photo by Pen Waggener Alaska is an oil state, but will that be true forever? The state is confronting low oil prices and declining production. Several companies are betting on new production. Others think Alaska needs to grow a different kind of economy. Listen Here HOST: Lori Townsend GUESTS: Jon Bittner, with the Alaska Smal ...…

Did you have enough to eat this month? Did your neighbor? About 13 percent of Alaskans are food insecure — many of them are children or elderly. But there are ways to help solve this problem. Join us on Talk of Alaska as we discuss the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other ways Alaskans are working together to get food on everyone ...…

The Alaska State Legislature sign at the Legislative Information Office in Downtown Anchorage. (Staff photo) State lawmakers called themselves into a third special session to pass a scaled back capital budget. It was a long time in the making, but does the compromise signal that lawmakers can come together on a longer term budget plan for the s ...…

Gov. Bill Walker, an independent, speaks at a press availability shortly after calling the Alaska Legislature into the second special session of the year in June. Walker signed the operating budget on Friday. (Photo by Andrew Kitchenman/KTOO and Alaska Public Media) State lawmakers called themselves into a third special session in order to pass ...…

The Veterans’ Wall of Honor in Wasilla. Photo: Veterans’ Wall of Honor website. Disability claims for veterans can take up to five years to process. Why? The VA has been plagued with problems for decades. Funding shortages, poor coordination, and a range of complex health issues faced by service members have all created barriers for vets seekin ...…

A group of 798 pipeliners welds a section of the Trans Alaska Pipeline. (Photo courtesy of Diane Schenker) Environmental groups lost their fight to stop the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. But along the way they brought to light an obscure bit of federal code that requires intense scrutiny of every major construction project. Listen Here HOST: Lori Town ...…

Fairbanks Memorial Hospital in Fairbanks, Alaska (Wikimedia commons photo) The US Senate is taking a stab at replacing Obamacare. The newest healthcare reform bill reduces tax credits for buying health insurance and cuts Medicaid funding for the state. So how do these potential changes affect you and your ability to get treatment? Listen Here H ...…

“Alaska’s flag, may it mean to you,” goes the Alaska Flag Song. Well, that raises a question. Beyond the blue and the gold, just what does it mean to you to be an Alaskan? That’s the subject on the next state-wide radio call-in show Talk of Alaska. On a day celebrating independence, we’ll be looking at the what it might mean if the state of Ala ...…

The sign outside the Anchorage Legislative Information Office, March 4, 2016. (Photo by Megan Ahleman) Alaska lawmakers avoided a state government shut down by passing an operating budget, but the deal doesn’t address long term stability and both Republicans and Democrats expressed disappointment over things they had to give up. The political d ...…

Conventional oil is what’s traditionally flowed through the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. (Photo courtesy the Center for Land Use Interpretation) 40 years ago, the first barrel of oil started flowing down the trans-Alaska pipeline. Completing the pipeline was an epic, three-year saga that required tens of thousands of workers, great feats of engineeri ...…

1980 and 2012 September Sea ice extent. Graph showing the approximately 13% per decade decline in summer sea ice extent. (Graphic by the National Snow and Ice Data Center) Polar bears need sea ice to survive. Scientist Steven Amstrup has devoted his career to polar bear research and is definitive in calling for global action in reducing greenho ...…

A memorial overlooking downtown Unalaska is dedicated to the Unangax who were forcibly evacuated during WWII and the Aleutian villages that were never resettled. (Laura Kraegel/KUCB) Seventy-five years ago the Unangan people were evacuated from villages in the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands because of World War II. They were sent to internment c ...…

Erma Bombeck (file photo) Over the last few decades, the role of women in media and newsrooms has dramatically changed. From being confined to writing mostly about humor or household tips, now, women commentators and columnists write about politics, sports, the economy and yes, family life, too. From Erma Bombeck to Molly Ivins, the role for wo ...…

Sen. Dan Sullivan and Gen. Robert Neller talking with reporters before an event at a VFW post in Mountain View. (Photo: Ben Matheson, Anchorage) Russian fighters have flown near Alaska’s coast 5 times in recent weeks. U.S. military officials stress the flights and intercepts are within the realm of normal, a Russia expert says it’s a test of Am ...…

Wikimedia commons photo by Pen Waggener Alaska is in a recession…again. There’s a lot of hand wringing about the state’s fiscal future but beyond simply bridging the current funding gap, what can and should a diversified economy look like? A new 5-year economic strategy developed with state and private sector business leaders focuses on address ...…

Vivitrol is the injectable form of naltrexone, which cuts cravings for opioids and alcohol. (Hillman/Alaska Public Media) Methadone, Suboxone, and Vivitrol are all different types of drugs used to treat opioid addictions. But what do those medications actually do? How effective are they? Are they a solution for solving Alaska’s addiction crisis ...…

Commercial fishermen delivering chum salmon in Kotzebue. Photo: Hilary Upicksoun. What does it take to be a sustainable fishery? One that provide healthy food and healthy oceans? A new Frontline Documentary entitled the Fish on my Plate by bestselling author Paul Greenberg tackles that question. Greenberg visited Alaska and traveled the world’s ...…

Rep. Paul Seaton, R-Homer, (center) chairs the House Finance Committee shortly before the body passed it’s version of the state budget March 10, 2017, to the House of Representatives. (Photo by Skip Gray/360 North) The legislature has gone past the 90-day mark as they try to find a solution to the state’s fiscal crisis. Lawmakers from both cham ...…

Here is where some of huntings leading ladies share their stories, reveal their personal tips and tricks, and how they manage to balance this adventurous hobby with the demands of daily life. New episode every Monday!

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The Vitality Coach Podcast with Nikki Fogden-Moore: Vitality |Bringing Business and Personal Vitality To Life

Doug Stenclik and Randy Young of www.cripplecreekbc.com bring you the lowdown on the world of uphill and backcountry skiing and boarding. Gear, technique, fashion, jargon, and assorted spray from two guys who know how to earn it in the backcountry. The world's best backcountry skiing podcast. Backcountry Skiing, Uphill Skiing, Rando (Skimo?) Racing, Splitboarding, its all here.